Methods and apparatus to control aircraft horizontal stabilizers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016200419-A1
Application number	US-201414539789-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 12, 2014
Priority date	Nov 12, 2014
Publication date	Jul 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to control aircraft horizontal stabilizers are described herein. One described method includes calculating, using a processor, a desired movement of a horizontal stabilizer of an aircraft to counteract a pitching moment of the aircraft, and controlling the horizontal stabilizer based on the desired movement.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An method comprising:
calculating, using a processor, a desired movement of a horizontal stabilizer of an aircraft to counteract a pitching moment of the aircraft; and controlling the horizontal stabilizer based on the desired movement.

2 . The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein calculating the desired movement of the horizontal stabilizer is further based on one or more of a velocity of the aircraft, a configuration setting of the aircraft, deployment of one or more control surfaces, a type of maneuver, or positions of control surfaces of the aircraft.

3 . The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein a degree to which a position of the horizontal stabilizer is moved is based on table lookup data.

4 . The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the horizontal stabilizer is moved and a degree to which the horizontal stabilizer is moved is based on whether an aircraft configuration is being changed.

5 . The method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising maneuvering the aircraft via an elevator positioned on the horizontal stabilizer while the horizontal stabilizer is controlled.

6 . The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the pitching moment is caused by an aircraft configuration change.

7 . The method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising determining the pitching moment of the aircraft.

8 . The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein determining the pitching moment comprises determining estimated pitching moments based on table lookup data.

9 . An apparatus comprising:
a motor attached to a horizontal stabilizer of an aircraft, the motor to control a pitch angle of the horizontal stabilizer; a processor to control the motor to counteract a pitching moment of the aircraft.

10 . The apparatus as defined in claim 9 , further comprising a sensor to measure the pitching moment of the aircraft.

11 . The apparatus as defined in claim 9 , wherein the processor is to further control a rate of movement of the motor.

12 . The apparatus as defined in claim 9 , wherein the processor controls the motor based on table lookup data.

13 . The apparatus as defined in claim 9 , wherein the processor controls the motor further based on a measured flight condition.

14 . An apparatus comprising:
a first control surface of an aircraft; a second control surface of the aircraft that can move relative to the first control surface, wherein the second control surface forms a portion of an aerodynamic surface defined by the first control surface; a motor coupled to the first control surface to control a position of the first control surface; and a processor to control the motor to adjust the position of the first control surface to alter a pitching moment induced by a third control surface of the aircraft.

15 . The apparatus as defined in claim 14 , wherein the first control surface is a horizontal stabilizer and the second control surface is an elevator.

16 . The apparatus as defined in claim 15 , wherein the elevator is to move at a faster rate than the horizontal stabilizer.

17 . The apparatus as defined in claim 14 , wherein control of the motor is based on one or more of an in-air maneuver, an estimated pitching moment of the aircraft, an aircraft configuration change, or an external condition of the aircraft.

18 . The apparatus as defined in claim 14 , wherein the first control surface is to counteract a motion of the aircraft while the second control surface is to maneuver the aircraft.

19 . The apparatus as defined in claim 14 , wherein the processor is to control the motor based on table lookup data.

20 . The apparatus as defined in claim 14 , wherein the processor is to control a rate of movement of the motor.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Moore Jonathan Kyle
• Bock Brian Charles
• Coleman Edward E

Classifications

• B64C5/02

  Tailplanes · CPC title

• B64C5/06

  Fins (B64C5/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B64C9/06

  with two or more independent movements · CPC title

• B64C13/16 Primary

  actuated automatically, e.g. responsive to gust detectors · CPC title

• G05D1/085

  to ensure coordination between different movements · CPC title